


Don't Let Them See Me Like This

by Gcgraywriter



Series: Paneville [16]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Neville Longbottom, Children of Characters, F/M, Good Pansy Parkinson, Leaving The Aurors, POV Pansy Parkinson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27336664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gcgraywriter/pseuds/Gcgraywriter
Summary: Prompt 4 - ShadowsNeville has had it with the Aurors and Pansy can tell. She's said as much before without success. Maybe this time, he'll listen to her...
Relationships: Neville Longbottom/Pansy Parkinson
Series: Paneville [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721938
Comments: 11
Kudos: 22
Collections: Paneville





	Don't Let Them See Me Like This

The thump of his boots on the hearth filled her heart with relief as she rushed out to greet him. It had been almost a week since she had seen him. His assignment taking him Salazar-knows-where. She wiped her hands on the towel as she rushed out of the kitchen. She smiled as she readied to greet him. The half-smile froze on her face where he found him half collapsed on the floor. Her body kept moving as her mind froze. What had happened? She fell to her knees beside him, looking for any sign of a wound. 

“Neville? Are you alright? What happened?” She asked, the panic threatening to overflow. She noticed his shaking shoulders and realised he was crying. “Darling?” She tried again. 

At odds with what was going on in the living room, Pansy could hear the children laughing and squealing in the back garden. As if jolting him into action, he moved glancing up at her and then to the door. His eyes were bloodshot and tired.

“Don’t let the kids see me like this, love,” he begged “I’m not hurt,” 

“They’re out in the garden, don’t worry.” She said calmly as she started to peel his Auror robes from him. He had never liked being in the Aurors but felt duty-bound by the memory of his parents to join. With each day she watched as it chipped away at him, leaving him shattered and dispirited. “Come on, Let’s get you clean up. You’ll feel better when you’re out of those clothes,” She promised as she tried to help him up. 

“Always tried to get me out of my clothes, eh Miss Parkinson?” he joked weakly. 

“That’s Mrs Longbottom, to you!” She smirked back as she got him to his feet. Shadows passed behind his eyes of unknown horrors and unsavoury truths which he was careful never to speak about.

“My mistake, Mrs Longbottom,” He whispered tiredly. 

“Come on, you’re going in the bath, You smell of Runespoor and burnt things.” She commanded as she led him through the house. 

She propped him against the wall as she flicked her wand at the bath, filling it with steaming water, while she started to undress him in earnest. 

“What would I do without you?” He asked quietly as she helped him into the bubbly water. She was happy that she had demanded an extra-large bath. Seeing him be able to submerge his whole body made her satisfied that it had been a very good decision. 

“Well, you would probably still be on the rug downstairs, at the very least.” She smiled as she parched at the edge, resting her chin on the ledge. 

“I just don’t understand,” He said seriously, looking away. He closed his eyes, hiding the shadows behind them as if she would be able to read his thoughts. “I thought that once the Dark Lord had been defeated that the world would be less evil and safer. The longer I spend in the job, the more I see evil in everyone, and I hate it,” He frowned a tear coming to his already streaked face. 

“Then leave.” She offered quietly. 

“I can’t,” He replied. 

“Why not? Because you’d be letting Gussie down? She worries about you as much as I do when you’re away on assignments.” She dipped her finger in the water as she avoided his eye. It was a conversation they’d had before, and it usually ended in a row. “Your parents would be fools not to be proud of you, after everything you’ve done.”

“It’s not that,” he shook his head “There are still others out there,”

“And there always will be, Darling.” She replied bluntly. “I’m sure Weasley and Potter and all the other recruits that have joined can cope.” There was a long silence, and she wondered whether he had fallen asleep. 

“Maybe you’re right,” He said finally, and she had to double-check she’d heard right. 

“What?”

“I said that maybe you’re right.” He paused again before opening his hazel eyes and looking at her. “I heard that Sprout is thinking of retiring, or we could start that business we’d always talked about.”

“You’re serious?” She asked. “You usually slink off into the greenhouse when I mention you giving up your job.”

“I can hardly slink off now that you have me trapped in the bath, can I?” He teased with a small smirk. “Very cunning of you,”

“So, which would you prefer? Working back at Hogwarts, that is if the rumours are true. Or working with me.”

He rolled over in the bath, the water sloshing around him as he placed his own chin on the edge of the tub. 

“If I worked at home, I’d be able to see you and the kids more.”

“Very true.” She nodded. Just as the sound or a small stampede rushed up the stairs. 

“Daddy!” Zinnia cried from the door as she dragged her blanket along the floor. 

“Told you he was home!” Logan declared proudly at his deductive skills. 

“I’ve missed you two so much,” He said brightly, mustering all his enthusiasm for them. “Mommy and Daddy are talking at the moment, but we’ll be down in a minute, alright?” He said calmly. 

“Ok, Daddy, I want to show you Teddy’s new outfit,” Zinnia sang as she stepped out of the room. 

“It’s just a blanket,” Logan groaned with a roll of his eyes as he followed his sister. 

“Is not!” She argued as they moved out of range. 

“Think you can handle the madness?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“I married you didn’t I?” He smirked as he moved closer for a kiss. She held his face and kissed him back, gently as though he was the most fragile and precious thing in the world. 

“Yeah, what were you thinking? Such a bad decision, really!” She joked as he kissed her again. 

“What was I thinking?” He smirked as he moved back into the water with a groan. 

“Dinner’s in the stove. Get yourself cleaned up and we’ll talk move over food.” She said as she stood, moving the towels close to him. 

“I’ll tell Robards Monday that I quit.” He agreed. 

“Sure, you don’t want to think about it a bit more?” She asked as she collected his uniform. He shook his head “It’s a big decision, maybe speak to Harry and Ron about it all and see what they think?”

“I already did.” He said. “They told me to go too.”

“Oh, my word! Me and the golden duo agree on something?” She chuckled “Will wonders never cease?”

“You agree about most things; actually, just none of you are willing to admit it.”

“Nope, don’t believe you,” She smiled. “Now get clean and dressed ad get downstairs for dinner before I send the kids up here again to bother you.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” He gasped in mock horror. 

“Try me, Longbottom.” She narrowed her eyes playfully. 

“Maybe later…” He grinned as she laughed, leaving the room.


End file.
